WaPo: Petraeus report 'absolutely solid'

12/5/12 5:48 PM EST

The Washington Post is standing by Bob Woodward's report that Fox News President Roger Ailes tried to enlist Gen. David Petraeus to run for president, despite criticism from a key player in the talks who called Woodward's report "silly" and "off base."

"The facts are absolutely solid, and supported by the audio tape on our site, which anyone can listen to," Liz Spayd, the Post's managing editor, told POLITICO.

Fox News analyst K.T. McFarland, who was reportedly sent by Ailes to propose the presidential bid, recently wrote that Ailes "was joking" and that it "was way off base to characterize it as a serious attempt to get him to run, or to give him political advice." Ailes himself told Woodward earlier that the proposal was "more of a joke, a wiseass way I have."

Nevertheless, audio tape obtained by Woodward shows McFarland telling Petraeus, on behalf of Ailes, that if the general was not offered the top military position as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff he should run for president.